Student learning and development are central to the mission of the Haley Barbour Center for Manufacturing Excellence (CME). Completion of the CME program is designed to provide graduates with practical knowledge and interpersonal skills that will be useful in a professional setting. There are certain aspects of every profession that cannot be taught to students in the classroom. These aspects can be learned only through direct, on-the-job experience working with professionals who are already successful in the field.
In keeping with the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education’s (CAS) recommendations, the CME’s Internship/Co-op Program supports the six categories of broad outcomes for student development and learning, which are as follows:
- Knowledge acquisition, construction, integration, and application
- Cognitive complexity
- Intrapersonal development
- Interpersonal competence
- Humanitarianism and civic engagement
- Practical competence
In terms of outcomes related to professional development, a CME internship/co-op experience will also:
- Provide practical work experience
- Give reality to learning
- Increase educational motivation
- Develop greater interpersonal skills
- Accelerate maturation
- Provide orientation to the world of work
- Establish valuable employment contacts
